Reading Meme

I read about this Reading Meme at Book Nut, and the original idea comes from Eva at A Striped Armchair. I wasn't tagged, but I have been enjoying looking at everyone else's answers and it looked like too much fun to pass up, so here are some answers from me...

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? This doesn't have ONLY positive reviews, but it seems like tons and tons of people have recommended them to me- The Work and the Glory series by Gerald N. Lund. Long story, but I can't bring myself to even read the back covers, let alone the entire books.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be? At first I was thinking that it would have to be Mr. Darcy or Mr. Rochester for a romantic candlelight dinner, but then I realized that they are both in love with someone already, so that would kind of defeat the purpose. So instead, I'm thinking that it would have to be a hike and picnic with Emily Pollifax (The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax), Lucy Pevensie (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), and Sarah Prine (These is my Words).

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? For me, it would be pretty much anything by James Joyce.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it? I started Anna Karenina a few years, got about half-way through it, but never actually finished it. True confessions, that that hasn't stopped me from discussing it on occasion.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book? To be honest, I can't think of any book that would fit into this category for me. What I have done many times though, is thought that I haven't read a book before, then part way through, I realize that it's sounding very familiar and I already know how it ends... I guess a short memory is a good reason to keep a book list...

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP) That is a hard question without knowing the person, but one of my favorites that I think everyone should read is The Giver, by Lois Lowry.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? Also a hard question, because there are several languages I would love to know. But choosing one, I would have to say Greek, so I could read the New Testament in the original form.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick? There are several books that I read yearly already- The Chronicles of Narnia would probably be my first pick for this (all of them except for The Horse and His Boy.)

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)? I'm still pretty new at the whole blogging thing, but I've enjoyed getting book suggestions that span many different genres- some authors that are new to me and some that are rediscovered.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free. Like so many other responses, my answer to this deals more with the room itself than the books. It would have floor to ceiling bookshelves (dark, polished wood) with a ladder to reach all the ones on the top shelves. One wall would be a huge picture window that would look out onto my orchard of fruit trees (after all, you said "let your imagination run free"...) There would be a big fireplace and comfy chairs to sit in, with soft blankets to snuggle up in while I read. The books themselves would be a mix- hardback children's picture books would go on all the bottom shelves. I like trade paperbacks, but they don't have to be pristine- I would have to include my favorite copies that are a bit dog eared and loved and open automatically to all the best parts. Certainly a few leatherbound and hardcovers for atmosphere, and a separate shelf for books by people that I know (lovingly inscribed, of course!)